Manufacture of water-gas



(No Model.)

J. M. ROSE.

MANUFACTURE OF WATER GAS.

Patented Oct. 4, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. ROSE, OF ALLEGHENY CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

MANUFACTURE OF WATER-GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 370,972, dated October 4. 1887.

Application filed December 27, 1886. Serial No. 222,567. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. ROSE, of

- Allegheny City, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Water-Gas; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descript-ion thereof.

My invention relates to the manufacture of watergas, and more particularly to the apparatus therefor, this gas being formed from in candescent coal by passing through the same a current of steam, thereby decomposing the steam, and subsequently purifying the resultant gases.

It consists, generally, in having a central purifying or fixing chamber, a steam generator or boiler surrounding the same, gas-generators beyond the steam-generator, and suitable fines for carrying the products of combustion from the gas-generators through the boiler and the central purifying-chamber; and it also consists of certain other improvements, all of which will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

To enable others skilled in the art to practice my invention, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section of the apparatus employed; and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same on the linemc, Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

The apparatus is preferably arranged as shown in the accompanying drawings, the purifying-chamber A being formed in the center of the apparatus, and this chamber being surrounded by an annular steam-boiler or steamgenerator, B, while beyond the steam-boiler are a series of gas generators, 0. Each gasgenerator is provided with the grate-bars a near the base thereof and the ash-pit a below the gratebars, saidash-pit having the door a by means of which it can be closed to prevent the entrance of air through the same.

At the top of the generator is the charging hopper d, which can be closed by a suitable block or door, d, and leading from the upper part of the generatoris the smokeflue at, this smoke-flue communicating with a space, 1), within the steam-generator B, from which a series of pipes or flues, I), lead downwardly to r the base of the steam-generator, so that the space 6 at the base thereof, the products of combustion then passing into the central purifying-chamber, A, and rising through the mass of fire-brick therein, the products of combustion passing thence through the opening at the top thereof and rising into the chimney f. In this manner the fire-brick are raised to a high heat. Air may be admitted through suitable portsat the smoke-flue d to the smoke and heated products, so forming more perfect combustion and greatly increasing the heat within the boiler and purifying-chamber.

The boiler B is provided with a steamspace, D, at the top thereof, and with the steam-pipes g, which communicate with the upper part of the gas-generators O, as at 9, these pipes extending through the walls of the apparatus, and the steam being thereby highly superheated before entering the gas-generators. The gas-generators O communicate at the base thereof with the purifying-chamber A through the fines h, these flues leading through or into the space 0 at the base of the boilers and communicating with the purifying-chamber, and the purifying-chamber is provided near the upper end with the gas-outlet k, and has a suitable valve or cover, w, by means of which the opening or port w, communicating with the chimney f, can be closed.

The gas-generators C are provided with the blast-pipes Z, these pipes having a series of openings, Z, communicating with the generators at different heights, so as to distribute the air therein and form a more perfect combustion, raising the fuel within said generators to a high heat and high incandescence. In order to close communication between the gas-generators and the annular boiler, suitable valves, m, are employed in the ports or fiues d.

In using my invention the generators are filled with coal or coke, whichis raised to ahigh heat by tlfe air-blast, the products of combustion passing from the gas-generators through theports or lines (1 into the spaces 1) in the upper part of the boiler, thence downwardly through a series of pipes, 12, into the space 6 of the boiler, from which they pass upwardly through the purifying'chamber A, and thence to the stack or chimney f, the waste products from the generators thus actingto generate the steam, and at the same time to heat the mass of firebrick or limestone within the purifying-chamber A. As soon as the coal is brought to the proper degree of incandescence, the air-blast is cut off, the valves m in the fiues (1 closed, and the cover 20 between the purifying-chamber and the chimney is closed, while the valve within the outlet-pipe 7c ofthe purifying-chamher A is opened. Steam is then admitted through the pipe gto the generators, and as it passes downwardly through the mass of incandescent fuel it becomes decomposed, generating free hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, which unites with the carbon, forming carbonic oxide, a portion of oxygen uniting with the carbonic oxide and forming carbonic acid, and the sulphur uniting with the heated carbon, forming bisulphide of carbon. Of these gases the carbonic oxide forms a part of the desired heating or fuel gas to be obrained, and the carbonic acid can be absorbed in a suitable purifying-box; but the gas cannot be so purified from the bisulphide of carbon, and in order to remove the bisulphide of carbon and fix the gas the gases generated are passed through the heated mass of firebrick in the purifying-chamber A, which acts to decompose the bisulphide of carbon, depositing the carbon and forming sulphureted hydrogen, and this sulphureted hydrogen can be easily separated from the hydrogen gas and carbonic oxide by passing through the ordinary purifying-box, which also absorbs the carbonic acid, leaving only the hydrogen gas and carbonic oxide, the only gases desired in the formation of the fuel-gas. As soon as the coal becomes too cold to cause the decomposition of the steam, the

valve m is opened and cover w removed, theair-blast opened, and the coal brought to proper incandescence to repeat the process. The several generators are thus operated successively and sufficient steam generated and the purifying-chamber maintained at a high heat by the waste products. The gas is thus generated by continuous process and can be formed at a low cost, the steam being generated and the purifying-chamber being heated by the waste products from the gas-generators.

The apparatus is simple in construction, and for this reason the gas can be made at a low cost and furnished for fuel as well as illuminating purposes. If desired, the apparatus can be employed in the manufacture of gas according to the process described in an application of even date herewith, in which heated or caustic lime is employed to absorb the carbonic acid and bisulphide of carbon from the gases generated, the caustic lime being heated by the waste products passing through the lime in the purifying-chamber A, or through suitable flues therein.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In apparatus for the manufacture of watergas, the combination of the central purifying fixing-chamber, a steam generator or boiler sur rounding the same, gas-generators beyond the steam-generator, and suitable flues for carrying theproducts of combustion from the gas-generators through the boiler and the central purifying-ohamber,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In apparatus for the manufacture of watergas, the combination of the central purifying fixing-chamber, the annular steam-generator surrounding the same and having the spaces 1/ therein, and vertical tubes b, leading down therefrom, and the gas-generators beyond the steam-generator, having flues d, communicating with the spaces b, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. f

3. In apparatus for the manufacture of watergas, the combination of the central purifyingchamber, the annular boiler surrounding the same and having the space eat the base thereof, communicating with the purifying-chamber, the gas generators beyond the steamgenerators, having steam-supply pipes g, and communicating at the base with the purifying chamber, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said JAMEs M. RosE, have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES M. ROSE.

\Vitnesses:

JAMES I. KAY, J. N. CooKE. 

